WCU students to hold event in honor of Boston victims

WEST CHESTER — West Chester University students have organized a Mile of Silence event to honor the victims of last week’s bombings at the Boston Marathon.

The one-mile walk is scheduled to begin at 7:30 tonight. Anyone wishing to participate is asked to meet in front of Wayne Hall on Rosedale Avenue. From there, the walk will loop around north campus and end in front of Sykes Student Union. Participants may walk or run the one-mile course.

After the walk, participants are encouraged to stay for a candlelight vigil in front of the student union, where they can share their thoughts on the incident.

Kelly Littleton, a senior at the university and one of the event organizers, said she thought about organizing the race shortly after hearing of the attack last Monday. Soon she and another student reached out to staff at the Sykes Student Union, and they were willing to help put the event together.

Littleton then contacted Dave Timmann, director of Sykes Student Union, and Mark Fala, another student who had the idea for an event.

“Dave, Mark and I all love running and wanted to honor the people in Boston in some possible way,” Littleton said.

Timmann then set up a meeting with campus personnel to organize the run/walk.

“When I arrived at the meeting, I was overwhelmed with the amount of people who were willing to help and reminded that there are great people in this world,” Littleton said.

Word was then spread through social media and fliers posted throughout the borough.

As of Monday afternoon, a Facebook group created for the event listed more than 270 people planning to attend.

“It’s difficult to fully comprehend or put anything that happened in Boston into words,” Littleton said. “The only possible way to stay positive during such a horrific time is to remember the way so many people rushed toward the chaos, risking their lives to help others.”

According to organizers, a limited number of Mile of Silence T-shirts will be available the night of the event for $10 each. Additional donations will also be accepted. The shirts are blue and yellow, the colors of the Boston Marathon, with a graphic of the finish line.

Proceeds from the shirts and donations will go to One Fund Boston, a charity formed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to help people affected by the bombings.

Organizers are encouraging participants to wear their favorite run/walk T-shirt and any Boston apparel they might own.

“On April 15, the people of Boston became heroes,” she said. “And we would to like to honor everyone in Boston by showing our support as a community by walking/running to honor them.”